Poirot & Marple - What's Common? Quiz

Answer: No

Hercule Poirot mentions having a twin brother called Achille in 'The Big Four' but he later turns out to be Hercule himself in disguise.

Answer: Monsieur Giraud & Inspector Slack

In 'Murder on the Links', Monsieur Giraud is dismissive of Poirot and his grey cells. Instead he spends all his time searching for footprints, cigarette ash and other such clues. He was so confident of himself that he had even placed a bet with Poirot regarding which of them would solve the case first, one that he eventually loses. Agatha Christie created the character of Giraud to poke fun at the common stereotype of detectives and their ways of solving cases.

In 'The Murder at the Vicarage', Inspector Slack refuses to take Miss Marple seriously and is left embarrassed when she solves the case before him.

Answer: Chief Inspector Japp & Inspector Craddock

Chief Inspector Japp works for the Scotland Yard and has featured in a number of Poirot novels. Poirot has also worked with others like Superintendent Spence ('Taken at the Flood') and Colonel Race ('Death on the Nile'). Superintendent Sugden is the murderer from 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas'.

Inspector Dermont Craddock is the godson of Miss Marple's old friend, Sir Henry Clithering - a former Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Craddock has worked with her in 'A Murder is Announced', 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side', and '4:50 From Paddington'.

Answer: Jason Rafiel

Miss Marple first met the millionaire Jason Rafiel in 'A Caribbean Mystery'. At that time he had named her after the Greek goddess of retribution, Nemesis. In a later novel 'Nemesis', Rafiel appeals to her to solve a crime committed in the past.

Answer: 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' and 'The Moving Finger'

In 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles', Emily Inglethorp is poisoned by her much younger second husband Alfred. This case introduced Hercule Poirot, Arthur Hastings and Chief Inspector Japp. In the novel 'Curtain', Poirot and Hastings return to Styles, Essex for their final case.

In 'The Moving Finger', Mona Symmington is found dead and it is assumed that she had committed suicide after receiving an anonymous poison pen letter. However, Jane Marple proves that Mona had actually been murdered by her husband Richard because he had fallen in love with someone else.

Answer: 'Three Act Tragedy' and '4.50 From Paddington'

In 'Three Act Tragedy', Sir Charles Cartwright's first wife was alive in an asylum. Not many people knew about this except for his close friend Bartholomew Strange. When Charles later fell in love with Hermione 'Egg' Lytton Gore, he knew Strange wouldn't keep mum about him being a married man. Hence, he poisoned Strange before he could ruin his plans.

In '4:50 From Paddington', Dr. John Quimper strangled his first wife Anna Stravinska because she was a staunch Catholic and wouldn't grant him a divorce. They had been living apart for many years and by then he had fallen in love with Emma Crackenthorpe who was unaware of his earlier marriage.

This is the plot according to the original UK version of the book. The US version differs greatly.

Answer: 'The Mystery of the Blue Train' and 'A Pocketful of Rye'

In 'The Mystery of the Blue Train', Richard Knighton, Rufus Van Aldin's secretary, was actually the infamous jewel thief called Marquis. During the period he was employed by Van Aldin, he had been plotting to steal the 'Heart of Fire' ruby.

In 'A Pocketful of Rye', Lancelot Fortescue had met and wooed Gladys Martin under the alias of Albert Evans. After promising to marry her, he cooked up a story about being cheated by Mr. Rex Fortescue and tricked her into unknowingly poisoning him.

Answer: 'Peril at End House' and 'A Murder is Announced'

In 'Peril at End House', Poirot sets out to help a young woman called Nick Buckley whose life seems to be in danger. In a surprising twist, Poirot discovers that Nick had shot her cousin Magda and tried to assume her identity.

Miss Marple steps in to help Letitia Blacklock in 'A Murder is Announced' after someone attempts to shoot her. In the end, Letitia turns out to be Charlotte Blacklock who had been presumed to be dead. In reality, Letitia had died and Charlotte had led people to believe it was the other way around.

Answer: 'Five Little Pigs' and 'Sleeping Murder'

In 'Five Little Pigs', Carla Lemarchant approached Poirot to find out the truth behind her father's murder. She was afraid that she too would be capable of killing her husband like her mother. Poirot finds out that Carla's mother had been innocent and the murder had been committed by Carla's father's lover.

In 'Sleeping Murder', Gwenda Reed moves to a new house triggering off long forgotten memories from her childhood. A chance meeting with Miss Marple helps her realise that she had lived in the same house as a toddler along with her father and stepmother. The young child had also witnessed her stepmother being murdered and the trauma had caused her to suppress all her early childhood memories. Though there had been no evidence of her stepmother's death, her father's supposed hallucinations of her strangled body had led to him being declared insane and sent off to live in an asylum where he died soon after. Miss Marple helps her track the real murderer and clear her father's reputation.

Answer: 'Murder on the Orient Express' and 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side'

In 'Murder on the Orient Express', twelve people stab a man named Ratchett for the kidnapping and murder of a small child, Daisy Armstrong. Poirot feels the twelve represent a jury and hence the murder of Ratchett was justified.

In 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side', Miss Marple suspects that Jason Rudd had given Marina Gregg the overdose that led to her death. However, she realises that he did it because he couldn't bear to turn her over to the police but neither could he risk her killing anyone else. Miss Marple probably understood his dilemma and did not feel the need to pursue the case further.